New Delhi, Feb 18: BCCI President Mithun Manhas described Jammu and Kashmir’s maiden entry into the Ranji Trophy final as an emotional and historic moment, reflecting on the challenges he faced when he became an administrator of the state’s cricket association in 2021.
“When I took over the JKCA, it was a tough situation with mismanagement and allegations of corruption. We had to rebuild from scratch,” Manhas said, recalling the support of then BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who gave him the freedom to restructure cricket in the Union Territory.
Manhas highlighted the team’s remarkable semifinal win over Bengal, noting the quality of players like Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep and praising the efforts of Brigadier Anil Gupta, the committee’s talent hunt initiatives, and the Cricket Committee’s focus on honesty and transparency.
He pointed out that while J&K lacks world class infrastructure, measures were taken to create competitive playing conditions, including the unique combination of red and black soil pitches at Harbux Stadium in Srinagar and the College Ground in Jammu.
The BCCI president also lauded the decision to rope in domestic stalwarts Paras Dogra and Ajay Sharma, emphasizing Dogra’s experience and professionalism, which provided stability in high-pressure moments. He further highlighted pace spearhead Auqib Nabi, calling him a match-winner and noting that his performances could soon attract national selectors’ attention.
Manhas concluded, “Talent was never an issue; what mattered was creating the right environment. Seeing J&K reach its first Ranji final today is a dream come true and a testament to the hard work of everyone involved.”